Rotary engine.



N0. 664,80l. Patented Dec; 25, I900. W. D. WILLIAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 16, 1900.

3 Sheets-Shunt I.

(No Model.)

No; 664,80I. Patented Dec. 25, I900. W. D. WILLIAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Dec. 25, I900.

No. 664,80l.

w. o. WILLIAMS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 16, 1900.

. 3 Shuts-Sheet 3.

IIIIIIIIII Ill UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VIN D. WILLIAMS, OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WVILLIAMSREOIPROCATING ROTARY ENGINE COMPANY,

OF WVILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. season dated December25, 1906.

Application filed March 16, 1900.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WIN D. W1LLIAMs,a citizen of the United States,residing at Fredericksburg, in the county of Spottsylvania and State ofVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotaryEngines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention belongs to the class of en gines of the rotaryreciprocating type comprising independent disalined shafts, an enginemounted upon one of the shafts and having pairs of oppositely-disposedcylinders and cooperating pistons reciprocating therein in inverseorder, means for admitting a motive medium into the cylinders andexhausting it therefrom in alternation to compel a positivereciprocation of the pistons, and connecting means between oppositecoacting pistons and the other shaft to transform the reciprocatingmovement of the pistons into rotary movement.

In engines of the type aforesaid a maximum percentage of the motivemedium is converted into available energy for driving machinery; butgreat difficulty is experienced in combining durability with the otherresultant features, the chief difficulty being met with in theconnections between the two disalining shafts and which are short-livedand require constant attention to repair and replace. The presentinvention deals particularly with the means whereby the pistons areconnected in pairs for simultaneous actuation in opposite directions andwith the'shafts to change their reciprocatory movement into a rotarymotion of the two shafts, the connections being such as to obviate a(leadcenter of the engine in any position, to preclude jar orappreciable vibration, and to secure durability without detracting fromthe speed or power of the engine.

The invention also consists of the novel features, details ofconstruction, and combination of the parts, which hereinafter will bemore fully disclosed and finally claimed, and

fierial No. 8,988. (No model.)

for this purpose and also to acquirea knowledge of the merits of theinvention and. the structural details of the means whereby the resultsare attained reference is to be had to the appended description and thedrawings hereto attached.

/Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention arenecessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodimentof the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rotary engine constructed in accordancewith and embodying the vital features of this invention. Fig. 2 is aperspective view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section ofthe engine-shaft, valve, and adjunctive parts. Fig. 4 is a detail viewin perspective of the coupling means between the respectiveoppositelydisposed pistons and the disalined shafts. Fig. 5 is asectional detail showing the relation of opposite cylinders, the pistonsworking therein, the engine-shaft, the valve, the coupling device, andthe guide cooperating therewith. Fig. 6 is a section on the line X X ofFig. 1, as indicated by the arrows. Fig. 7 is a section on the line Y Yof Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The frame 1 for supporting the operating parts is preferably ofrectangular outline in plan elevation and is a single casting to obviatethe formation of joints. However, the precise construction of the frameor base is unimportant and will depend for its manner of formation uponthe caprice of the designer or constructor. The engine-shaft isindicated at 2 and is hollow or tubular and is mounted in bearingsapplied to a bracket or extension 3 of the frame or base. The drivenshaft 4 is mounted in bearings 6 and 7, the former springing directlyfrom the base 1 and the lat ter being applied to a bracket 8, projectingfrom the said base and preferably integral therewith. A band-pulley 9 isattached to the shaft 4, and power is taken therefrom in the usualmanner for driving machinery of any oppositely-disposed cylinders 11.

kind. The shafts 2 and 4; are arranged out of line, and a disk or plate10 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 4, so as to rotatetherewith. Oppositely-disposed pairs of cylinders 11 are attached to theinner ends of the shaft 2 and are rotatable therewith and are formed,preferably, by boring a disk or head 12, which is secured in anysubstantial manner to the shaft 2. The head 12 and the disk or plate 10have a subjacent disposition and are located Within the spacecircumscribed by the end and side walls of the frame or base 1., Theinner end of the shaft 2 is made tapering,as indicated at 13,and isclosed by the solid end of the valve, ports 14 and being provided in itssides at diametricallyopposite points to afford ingress and egress forthe motive medium employed for driving the engine. One of the ports, as14, constitutes an inlet, and the other port 15 the outlet, for thespent motive medium. These ports are adapted to register in alternationwith corresponding ports 23 and 24 Ma valve 16. As shown, the cylindersare intersected by the tapering end 13 of the shaft, which in efiectconstitutes a seat for the tapering end of the valve 16,and the ports 14and 15 communicate directly with the inner ends of the cylinders andalternately register with the ports 23'and 24 as the cylinders rotate toadmit and exhaust the motive medium.

As previously stated, the shaft 2 is hollow and is mounted in bearings17 and 18, and its outer end terminates a short distance from theoutermost bearing 17 and is provided with a stuffing-box 19 to make asteam-tight joint between it, the valve 16, and the frame 20 of thegovernor 21. The valve 16 is concentric with the shaft 2, and its innerend is made tapering, as shown at 22, and is provided with ports 23 and24 to register with the ports 14 and 15 of the shaft 2 and correspondingwith The valve 16 is subdivided by a partition 25 into longitudinalpassages 26 and 27, the former constituting the live-steam duct and thelatter the exhaust-duct. The steam or motive medium is admitted into theduct or passage 26 by means of the valve 28 of the governor 21 and isexhausted through the duct or passage 27 and is conveyed to any suitablepoint of discharge. The valve 16 is relatively fixed, but is adjustablelongitudinally and angularly, the longitudinal adjustment taking up wearbetween the tapering end of the valve and its seat 13, and the angularor rotary adjustment enabling the engine to be reversed or the motivemedium to'be cut ofi'at any desired point in the stroke of the pistons.A lever 29 is clamped to the outer end of the valve 16 and is the meansprovided for turning said valve either to the right or to the left, andthis lever is provided with a hand- ,latch 30, connected with a pin 31,which is adapted to enter any one of a series of openings 32 in abearing 33, so as to hold the lever 29 in an adjusted position. Whenonce ad- 3' usted, the valve 16 remains fixed. The bearing 33 istransversely slotted, and a nut 34 is rotatably fitted in the slot andis mounted upon a threaded portion 35 of the valve. This nut 34 isadapted to be turned either to the right or to the left in any desiredmanner to efiect a longitudinal movement of the valve in the requireddirection. As shown, the nut 34 is provided with a series of openings toreceive a rod, (not shown,) by means of which it is positively turned inone direction or the other to attain the desired end.

The governor 21 may be of any type, and the motive medium is controlledthereby. The shaft 35, controlling the speed of the governor-arms, isprovided at its outer end with a sprocket-wheel 36, which is driven bymeans of a sprocketchain 37 from a sprocket-wheel 38, secured to theshaft 2be tween the bearings 1'7 and 18. It will thus be seen that thegovernor has direct connection with the engine-shaft, and the speed ofthe latter controls the speed of the governor, which latter in turnregulates the admission of the motive medium to the engine to prevent anabnormal-speed when the load is diminished.

It is highly important that two pairs of cyl inders ll be provided andthat the cylinders of each pair be located at diametrically'oppositepoints and radially with reference to the engine. Each pair of cylindersis disposed relatively at a right angle to 'the'other pair, so as topreclude the possibility of the engine stopping ona dead-center. Thepistons 39, arranged to work in the cylinders 11, have their rods 10connected in such a inanner as to'cause correspondingoppositely-disposed pistons to reciprocate synchronously in oppositedirections, whereby when one piston is moving outward under theinfluence of the motive medium the diametricallyopposite piston is atthe same time movinginward to a starting position. Cooperating pistonshave their rods connected in substantially the same'manner.The'connectingmeans are of IIO a floating character-that'is,theya'redevoid the'sake of simplicity and perspieuity a de-L.

tailed description of one set of connections only will be given, theother set being substantially the same, with the exception of-avariation in form and dimensional'extent.

Companion bars or elements 41 and i2, dis

posed in parallel relation,-are provided with slots 43 and 43 and areconnected bytransverse bars 44:, to which the rods 40 are attached attheir outer ends. The slots 43'and 43 receive the respective shafts 2and t and enable the frames to reciprocate with the attached pistons.The bars 41 are slidingly fulcrui'ned upon the'engine-shaft 2, whieh'isessential in order to provide for their changed relation incident to theeccentric disposition of the parts 10 and 12 and the rotation thereof.Cross heads, bars, or parts 1L6 are attached to or formed with the bars42 and extend at a right angle to the plane of the respective frames andcooperate with guideways formed with or applied to the part 10. Theopposite edges of the parts or cross-heads 46 are beveled and outwardlyflared, whereby provision is had for taking up wear between them and theseats or guideways formed in the opposite faces of the disk or plate 10.A channel or seat 45 is formed in each face of the disk 10, and the seatin one face is arranged at a right angle to the seat in the oppositeface to accommodate the right-angular disposition of the bars i6 of theconnecting-frames. Obviously any well-known form of guideway between thecross-heads a6 and the part 10 may be provided, so as topositivelydirect the frames in their reciprocating movements. IVhen inoperation, the motive medium steam,com pressed air,or the likeisadmitted into the cylinders successively through the port of the valve16 and is exhausted in succession from the cylinders through the portscommunicating with their inner ends. As the pistons. are forced outwardthe cylinders, shafts, and cooperating parts receive a rotary motion bymeans of the eccentric disposition of the parts 12 and 10 and thedisalining of the shafts 2 and As the cylinders rotate theconnecting-frames receive a combined rotary and reciprocating movementby reason of their ever changing relation with reference to the parts 12and 10. Hence oppositely'disposed pistons are caused to reciprocatesimultaneously in reverse directions, and when one set of pistons is ona dead-center the other set is off a dead-center and in position toreceive the impulse of the motive medium. Therefore it is practicallyimpossible to stop the engine on a dead-center.

The valve is lubricated by means of an oilcup 47, connected with thestuffing-box 19 by means of a pipe 48. The lubricant is forcibly fed bymeans of the motive medium which is supplied to the pipe 48 by means ofa pipe 49, connecting the supply-pipe 5O therewith and having acontrolling-valve in its length.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In arotary engine, two shafts arranged out of line, pairs of cylindershaving an anguiardisposition and mounted to rotate about one of theshafts, and pistons arranged to work in the said cylinders, a platesecured to the other shaft to rotate therewith, and separate connectionsjoining the respective pairs of pistons and having independent slidingattachment with the said plate, and acting jointly therewith and withthe pistons and cylinders to cause the engine and plate-carrying shaftto rotate together, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, two shafts arranged out of line, pairs ofcylinders having an angular disposition and mounted to rotate about oneof the shafts, and pistons arranged to work in the said cylinders, aplate secured to the other shaft to rotate therewith, and separateconnections joining the respective pairs of pistons and havingindependent sliding attachment with the said plate and the shaft bearingthe engine and directed in their movements thereby and serving to causesimultaneous rotation of the engine and plate-carrying shaft,substantially as specified.

3. In a rotary engine, two shafts arranged out of line, pairs ofcylinders having an angular disposition and mounted to rotate about oneof the shafts, and pistons arranged to work in the said cylinders, aplate secured to the other shaft to rotate therewith, and having guidesat its opposite sides, and separate connections joining the respectivepairs of pistons and having independent sliding attachment with therespective guides of the said plate and with the shaft of the engine anddirected in their movements thereby and serving to cause simultaneousrotation of the engine and plate-carrying shaft, substantially asspecified.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with oppositely disposedcylinders and pistons working therein, of a plate or disk eccentricallydisposed with reference to the engineshaft and having a transverseguideway, of a frame connecting the pistons and having one of its barslongitudinally slotted to receive the engine-shaft, and a cross-headapplied to the said frame and operating in the guideway of the aforesaidplate or disk, substantially as set forth.

5. In a rotary engine,pairs of oppositely-disposed cylinders arrangedrelatively at a right angle to each other,pistons workingin saidcylinders, and a plate or disk eccentrically disposed with reference tothe engine-shaft and having gnideways in opposite faces, arrangedrelatively at a right angle to each other, of independent connectionsdisposed at a right angle to each other and connecting correspondingpistons for simultaneous operation and having independent slidableconnection with the respective guideways of the aforesaid plate or disk,substantially as set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, pairs of cylinders right angularly disposed,pistons Working therein and a plate or disk having guideways upon itsopposite faces and arranged at a right angle to each other, ofindependent frames connecting cooperatng pistons for simultaneous-actionand provided with crossheads to operate in the respective guideways ofthe said plate or disk, substantially as set forth.

7. In a rotary engine, and in combination with pairs of cylindersdisposed relatively at a right angle to each other, pistons workingtherein and a plate or disk having grooves or channels in opposite facesand extending at a right angle to each other with their side Wallsoutwardly flaring, of independent frames connecting cooperating pistonsand having their side bars longitudinally slotted to receive the I Intestimony whereof I affix my signature respective shafts of the engineand plate or in presence of two Witnesses.

disk and cross-heads secured to abar or member df the frames andoperating in the guide-. WIN WILLIAMb' 5 Ways of the said plate or diskand having Witnesses:

their edges beveled and outwardly flared, sub- GLADYS L. THOMPSON,stantially as set forth. GENEVIEVE MATTHEWS.

